29 Hours and 48 Minutes
by MoonyReid
Summary: The birth of Spencer and Jessica's baby from start to finish. M to be on the safe side. Follow on from International Love. Please R


Laying on the sofa Jessica huffed. Why was the 9th November taking so long? Jessica looked down at her swollen belly and ran a hand over it. Spencer was down the hall in his study, pushing herself up from the sofa she waddled into the hallway and towards where her boyfriend was working. He normally brought files home but now he was bringing home more so that he could leave at a decent time each day. "Spencer shouldn't we be looking for somewhere to live?"

Spencer turned in his chair and stared at her, that smile spreading across his face as he took in her rounded abdomen. He still couldn't believe it in ten days, give or take a few he was going to be a dad. Him, Spencer Reid. Standing up he moved towards her. "It's best we wait until after you have the baby. Stress is not good, especially at this stage. As soon as the baby arrives we can begin looking."

"Moving with a baby will be worse! Feeding, changing, naptimes! Where are we going to do that when we're going from one place to the other? One place we don't own anymore the other we're not settled in? We don't even live together." Jessica felt the tears start and Spencer pulled her into a hug.

"We do live together, the only time you stay next door is when I'm on a case. Sure our things aren't together but there's no room- And don't say it, there's plenty of room in our room, the bassinet and changing table fit in there fine. As soon as our treasure is here we will look and buy the first place you fall in love with." He led her out of the study and back into the living room where he seated her on the sofa and propped cushions around her.

"Thank god there's only ten more days to go."

"Only five percent of women give birth on their due date. First time mothers are the most likely to go past their due date by ten days." Spencer did not notice the death glare that Jessica was burning into the top of his head as he fussed around her. He gave more facts of course, about how many women need to be induced, and how that often led to complications. In the end Jessica couldn't take anymore and grabbing the now empty water bottle, hit him with it.

"Get out! Get out! Get out!" Hitting him with the empty bottle with each word she tried a seventh time but he was out of reach. Holding his hands up in surrender he backed out into the hall and a moment later she heard the study door close. Jessica glared at the small clock on one of the shelves as if it was the clocks fault it was still the 29th. Seeing that it had just turned half six Jessica once again got off the sofa and went to call on Daphne. Daphne often put her foot in it but she didn't spout statistics that depressed her. The door was opened straight away and Jessica waddled inside before seating herself in her favourite spot.

"What's he done this time? I heard you screaming at him, either that or you're trying a new tactic on convincing watermelon to evict." Daphne left the room briefly and returned with ice ream. "Well?"

"Told me I'm going to be ten days late. The things that made me fall in love with him are going to get him killed. Until now I always thought his love of facts was cute. Now it's annoying as hell."

"I'm sure every pregnant begins to hate the man who made her the size of a house, throw in the fact that Spencer doesn't know when to shut up, you've lasted pretty long. You must love him."

Shovelling spoonfuls of ice cream into her mouth Jessica nodded. "He's irritating but…he looks after me and he means well. Every ache and pain I have makes him get in a dizzy."

"He'll be a good dad, weird but good." Daphne put in stealing a bit of ice cream.

"He'll be great." Jessica beamed, thinking of the man next door who even with a demanding job was bending over backwards for her. "Maybe its just the hormones." She mused.

"Not bad going, you've made it thirty eight weeks with out them rearing their ugly heads. I'm sure we can live with you being stroppy for another twenty days…" Daphne grinned at her as she scooted away from her cousin.

"Don't you start! My baby loves their mummy and is going to come on the 9th. _It will._"

As the two cousins sat talking for a awhile Daphne began to noticed that suddenly Jessica kept looking at the clock. "Are you ok?"

"Just Braxton Hickssss."

"I thought you said you weren't getting any?"

"I wasn't until this morning. The first one was at about seven, then another one at eleven then a third at lunchtime. Nothing until just now. I felt it again at seven. It's fine, they're just more painful than I was told they'd be-Ow! Ok that bugger hurt. Where are you going?"

"You can fight over what they are with him."

"They're Brax- Jesus!"

"Yeah…That's why I'm getting him." Daphne returned with Spencer who looked worried and now had a stop watch hanging around his neck. Jessica rolled her eyes..

"I'm not doing laps." She told him as she eyed the stopwatch hanging around his neck.

"Are you ok?" Jessica winched in answer and Spencer began frantically pressing buttons on the stop watch.

* * *

Jessica sat in the bath, her eyes closed as the pains eased, it wasn't by much but it was better than watching Spencer worry every time she cried out. There was a knock on the door and Jessica groaned. She loved him and loved the fact he was so worried about her, but she hated being fussed over.

"I really don't think you should lock the door, if something happens-"

"Then you can kick it down, or call Morgan to do it. It's not like your friends haven't seen me starker's before." She ground out through a contraction. Eventually, desperate for piece and quite she unlocked the door and closed her eyes as she heard him settle on the toilet to watch her.

"Is the baby still moving?"

"Yes, you're bugging the baby too." Opening one eye she sighed at the downcast expression on Spencer's face. "Hey, this hurts a _lot_. Remember what the woman said in the antenatal class? I need you for support. Right now I need to be able to take my anger out on you. I've never been good with pain. Why do you think they gave me such strong pain relief at the hospital for a fractured wrist? I love you."

Spencer looked up and gave her a smile before moving over to the bathtub and kneeling besides her. "I'm just worried. No amount of book reading really helps. I know no more about this than you do. I hate just sitting here watching."

Running a hand through his hair which once again was beginning to grow long she smiled at him, glad that the next contraction was holding off long enough for her to appreciate him. "I love-Oh dear god!" Grabbing Spencer's sleeve Jessica tried to stop herself from crying as the new, stronger wave of pain hit her. "Ok, baths not helping anymore!"

Straight away Spencer was up and grabbing a towel. "Come on, I'll ring the hospital once you're out and dressed."

* * *

Unlocking the door, Spencer stood aside so that Jessica could go back into the apartment. He didn't say anything knowing that her mood was very fragile. He couldn't believe it either. Only two centimetres .It was now three o'clock the following morning and Jessica was already tried. "I hate you." He knew it was directed at him but smiled anyway as he followed her inside and towards their room.

"But you hate the midwife more."

"Two centimetres, what a lot of bollocks. This is your fault. I mean, your little minion managed to get past a condom, the least it could do is remember the way out. It's a one way system, how hard is it?"

"Clearly you're too comfortable to live inside. You've made a nice safe home for the baby for nine months. Maybe it's a atheist, doesn't believe there's live after birth. Lets be honest baby has never seen mommy."

"Now is not the time to discover a sense of humour. I'm going to "try and get some sleep." Clearly that bitch has never had contractions like th-" Jessica screamed and Spencer winched, hating the fact she was in so much pain. "How the hell do I sleep through that?" She cried.

"Come on, remember to breath and I'll get you a paracetamol."

"Spencer! When you got shot in the leg did breathing stop the pain-" Jessica dug her nails into his hand as she cried out again. "And did some idiot keep trying to give you a paracetamol? They don't work for fucking headaches why would I take one when a baby is trying to rip its way out of me?" Knowing it was safer to not answer Spencer helped her back into bed.

* * *

Seven hours later Spencer pulled up at the hospital. Looking over at Jessica he saw her eye lids drop again and sighed. He was tired but Jessica was near exhausted. After each contraction her eyes would roll back as tiredness took hold but moments later a contraction would start again. She had been awake twenty hours and in labour for fifteen of them. He waited for a contraction before getting out of the car not wanting to disturb the minuet amount of rest she was getting. Once it had passed he grabbed the bags and helped Jessica into the Labour and Delivery Unit, _again_. Thankfully they were greeted at the door and Jess was instantly offered some gas and air.

Laying back against the pillows Jessica gave a sigh of relief, the gas and air had taken effect and suddenly the stress of the last six hours faded away. Each contraction still hurt like hell, but the gas and air made it feel like it was happening to someone else. The midwife checked the progress and smiled when she informed Jessica that she was six centimetres. "About time!" She threw a look at Spencer seeing as it was his fault that it was taking so long.

Much to her annoyance everyone kept going on about breathing, no matter how many times she told them it didn't work for her. She just wasn't someone who could 'breath through' pain. Maybe because she didn't believe in it but she sure did try, she was willing to give anything a go if the pressure lifted. In the end she just optioned for a shot of pethidine. A midwife came in and handed her a cardboard bedpan, _again_. "I don't need to go."

"You've been here a while and have drunk plenty of fluids, I'm sure if you give it a go we'll get something this time." Doing as she was told she tried again but returned empty, well the bedpan was. Holding it out towards Spencer she gave him puppy eyes.

"Pee for me." She whispered.

"I think they might notice when the test says there's no baby."

"You're useless." Climbing back onto the bed she handed the empty bowl to the midwife.

"Lets go with a catheter." Jessica stared at Spencer who pulled a face that she wasn't sure if it was a apology or 'glad its not me' either way she made a mental note to cause him some pain at some point in the future. The midwife tried to show and explain what she would do but Jessica just looked away and told her to just do it, it was bad enough it was happening she didn't want to be tormented by the images for the rest of her life.

"You did need to go…" Spencer said as he strained his neck to see the jug that the midwife was filling up, much to Jessica's annoyance.

"When was the last time you done a number two?" Asked the midwife as if talking about a normal topic, though Jessica guessed it was for her.

"Around sevenish last night I know it was soon after labour started."

"Ok, we'll sort that out too." Jessica's eyes bulged..

"Aren't we meant to be getting the baby out? Not putting more stuff in?" The midwife returned and did what she had to do, much to Jessica's discomfort. When she was next checked a few hours later she was still six centimetres. Throwing her head back she glared at Spencer. "Seriously? What is it doing in there? Spencer have a word with your child."

"I'll break your waters to get things moving, usually it happens very quick after that." While the midwife went to get what she needed, Spencer sat on the edge of the bed and kissed her forehead. By now the pethidine that she had asked for had kicked in so she just grinned at Spencer.

"I love you." He whispered as he placed a kiss on her mouth. She nodded back before running a hand through his hair.

"I know."

"Jess?" The midwife who was seated at the end of the bed looked up and Jess turned her attention from Spencer to the midwife. "There's some meconium in your waters, so we're just going to monitor the baby and then I'll speak to the doctor." Jessica just nodded and looked at Spencer with a shrug.

"I'll pay attention, you enjoy the gas and air." He said with a smile, amused.

"This pethidine is good shit." She replied missing the point of what he was saying.

* * *

At nine o'clock the doctor came back and sat down. "Right, so, our main concern right now is getting this baby out."

Jessica, now that her pain relief was wearing off opened a eye and gave the doctor a filthy look. "I've been trying since seven last night." She muttered annoyed, she felt her eyes roll back as exhaustion took hold again, but someone said something and she opened them slowly again. She could no longer feel her contractions but looking at the screen that she was hooked up to, she could see that she was at the start of a new one.

"I'm going to recommend a epidural, but I'll explain both sides and you can choose. The midwife has told me you haven't slept yet, a epidural will take away the pain and you should find you can take a nap or at least rest. The other side is it will stop you being able to feel your contraction which could prolong your labour as you won't know when to push."

"Epidural, please." The doctor smiled before leaving to arrange it.

"At least it'll be over soon." Spencer remarked as he pulled hair off of her face once again. Taking a deep intake of the gas and air Jessica looked at him.

"Did you not listen? Either I'm going to fall asleep or pushing will take longer."

"But a doctor is involved which means they want to move things along. It won't be long." Looking around the room Jessica spotted a drip.

"When did that happen?"

"You were passing out. It's to help you dilate more."

"You haven't rattled off any facts all night." She pointed out, winding her fingers through his.

"I have, but you haven't been listening."

The doctor returned with a anaesthetist, an hour later and Spencer watched as they gave Jessica the epidural, she instantly seemed to perk up and he smiled when she began a long winded conversation with the anyone who would listen. Just after eleven the midwife said that it would be time to push soon.

"We're just getting everything ready, then you'll have an hour to push and if the baby hasn't arrived by then the doctor will come back in and assist." Jessica didn't want to focus on what that meant. A quarter to twelve the midwife gave Jessica the all clear to begin pushing., Spencer watched as she turned a shad of red that he thought wouldn't be possible for a human being. He was aware that delivering a baby took a lot of strength on the woman's part but the strength she had to spare as she squeezed his hand surprised him as he watched his fingertips turn blue. He knew better than to complain.

"1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 10." The midwife counted to ten with every contraction and somewhere within her Jessica mastered some extra strength to push past ten and aim for fifteen. As she took the breath after the contraction the midwife gave encouraging words but Jessica noticed the doctor come back in. She glanced at Spencer knowing that it hadn't been a hour yet, it had barely felt like twenty, Spencer was looking at her though and the question got lost as another contraction came. She felt her legs being put in stirrups.

With the next contraction she felt a unbearable pain and squeezed what ever was near her hands at the time, as she screamed out in agony. When the pain stopped she heard the doctor say it hadn't worked and asked for forceps. She looked at Spencer in fright, they had agreed they didn't want that but he looked her in the eye and held her face in his hand. "Just a few more minutes, and the baby will be here, concentrate on that."

Jessica didn't have time to think of everything she had read before the next contraction and the worst pain she had felt tore though her. She wanted to scream for them to stop, that her hips were hurting from how her legs where, that it was agony but all that came out was a scream that seemed to have no end. It ended suddenly, the pressure was released and she felt a surge of relief wash over as her head hit the pillows. Even though she was drained the tiredness left and her eyes went straight to the end of the bed where the doctor was lifting up the scrawniest and pinkest baby Jessica had ever seen. Her eyes widened as her baby screamed as it was wrapped in a towel. She heard someone say the baby was a boy but she didn't care.

Her son was placed in her outstretched arms, as she pulled him close to her chest she realised she hadn't remembered reaching out. Someone asked if she had felt the pain and she nodded, wanting them to stop intruding on her moment. Someone else said something about it not working but Jessica wasn't interested. She stared down at her baby in wonder and felt the tears flow. "Hello Richard-James, you took your time." She whispered as her finger stroked his cheek. His long arms jerked about as he cried but soon he quietened down. Jessica felt Spencer place a arm around her shoulders.

"Happy Halloween RJ." Jessica smiled at the use of the nickname they had agreed on before tearing her eyes away from the most perfect face she had ever seen and looked up at Spencer who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Halloween?" Spencer pulled out his phone and showed her the screen. Ten to one, thirty-first October. Smiling she looked own at her baby boy. "You ganged up on me." Placing a kiss on RJ's head she closed her eyes, savouring the moment.

* * *

**A/N: This was inspired by my son who was born on my favourite holiday: 31****st**** October! I hope you all enjoyed the story.**


End file.
